Microsoft has announced that Reid Hoffman, co-founder of professional social network LinkedIn, has joined its board of directors. The addition of Hoffman to the board will bring it to a total of 12 members. Hoffman himself will serve on the board's Regulatory and Public Policy Committee.
Speaking on Hoffman's new role, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated:
I've long admired Reid's ability to identify disruptive technologies and the passion we share for how digital platforms can create new opportunity for people around the world. As a board member, Reid's leadership and strategic perspective will help chart the future of our company as we aim to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
The move has been rumored since Microsoft's $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn was announced last year, and Hoffman's addition to the board could prove fruitful for the Redmond giant. Aside from co-founding LinkeIn, Hoffman previously served as an executive vice president at PayPal. He's also currently a member of a number of other boards ranging from Edmodo and Convoy, to non-profits like Wrapp and Kiva.org.
